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Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title One: Administrative, Article XI: Personnel, Chapter 181: General Provisions, by adding a new section, "Ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity For Persons Previously Convicted."
(aka Ban the Box)
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WHEREAS, Individuals with criminal records suffer from pervasive discrimination in many areas of life, amongst the most difficult is attempting to obtain employment; and,
WHEREAS, Employers have increased the use of background checks considerably with the majority of large employers in the U.S. now screening their potential workers for convictions; and,
WHEREAS, Research shows that the lack of employment is a considerable cause of recidivism; with people who are employed proving significantly less likely to be re-arrested; and,
WHEREAS, Previously incarcerated people embody a group of job-seekers, ready to contribute and add to the workforce; and,
WHEREAS, Barriers to employment for ex-offenders is a major contribution to the creation of permanent members of an underclass that threatens the health of the community and weakens public safety; and,
WHEREAS, Elimination of the obstacles to employment provides economic and social opportunities to a large group of people living in the city; and,
WHEREAS, This ordinance is intended to support the successful reintegration of ex-offenders into the community by eliminating obstacles to gainful employment once released from prison; and,
WHEREAS, This ordinance is intended to improve the health and security of the community by helping people with criminal records to reintegrate into the community to provide for themselves and their families; and,
WHEREAS, This ordinance is intended to ensure that Applicants with histories of criminal convictions are not discouraged by the City of Pittsburgh's employment application process has and are not discouraged from applying for city employment.
The Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby enacts as fol...
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